Errors, early struggles result in Lady Redskins home loss against Auburn, 8-3

NOKOMIS (Heartland Newsfeed) — A combination of costly errors and defensive struggles early resulted in a home loss for the Nokomis Lady Redskins softball team against the Auburn Trojans.

The Trojans would score the first run of the game as a result of a two-out triple by Lauren Stade to center field, allowing for Kaitlyn McMillen to score and take the lead, 1-0.

The Lady Redskins’ Kayla Stauder was walked by Auburn pitcher Cassidy Filipiak, which was followed by a single by Maddie Sowarsh via a line drive to center, allowing Stauder to advance to third. Stauder would score on a ground ball hit by Brea Cox, which resulted in a defensive error by first baseman Bethany Littlejohn, allowing Cox to reach first base with Sowarsh advancing to third. Emily Cesaretti line drives into a double play to Littlejohn, which also resulted in Cox being tagged out. A line out to center field by Kristin Stauder ended the first inning with a 1-1 tie.

Despite Sowarsh walking Littlejohn, Auburn did not score in the second.

Emma Blaum starts off the Lady Redskins second with a fly ball single to left field, who would advance to second on a Sophia Keller sacrifice bunt and again to third following a Mia Fesser ground out to shortstop Stade and declared out with a throw to Littlejohn at first.

Blaum would score on a passed ball during an at-bat appearance from Alyssa Huber. Huber would later strike out on six pitches looking, but not without a run scored by Blaum to end the second in the lead, 2-1.

Defensive struggles for the Lady Redskins took place in the top of the third with an error by Kristin Stauder, which allowed McMillen to score and tying the game 2-2. A Filipiak triple, a fielder’s choice, a passed ball and additional errors would give the Trojans the lead at mid third, 5-2.

Neither team would score again until the top of the fifth, with two defensive errors allowing Auburn to pad their lead to 8-2.

Nokomis would add their last score in the game during the bottom of the sixth inning where Alexa Cassidy scores on an error intended for Sowarsh by Stade, with the score being 8-3.

Well executed defensive play from the Trojans throughout the remainder of the game became too much for the Lady Redskins as they lose 8-3.

Sowarsh pitched five innings, making 119 pitches with 72 strikes. She gave away eight runs on seven hits, with three earned runs and four walks in her pitching loss. Blaum pitched two innings, making 14 pitches with 12 strikes, giving away only two hits.

Jake Leonard is the editor-in-chief of Heartland Newsfeed. He is general manager of Heartland Internet Media Networks and an active contributor to four newspapers for Pana News Group. He also serves as chairman of Tri-Counties Libertarian Party and Capital Area Libertarian Party, deputy candidate recruitment director for the Libertarian Party of Illinois and as chairman/co-founder of the Libertarian Party Millennial Caucus.